Liquid atomizer



T. J. HOLMES LIQUID ATOMIZER Filed ADril l. 1921 Patented Nov. 4l, 1924.

THOMAS J'. HOLMES, O'F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

mourn ATOMIZER.

Application filed April 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS JEFFERSON HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid Atomizers. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to atomizers for spraying liquids and is intended to produce a simple and effective device of this kind so constructed and arranged as to serve as a reliable bottle stopper or closure to prevent leakage of liquid contents ofthe bottle or container when not being used as a. spray producer, and Whichby a simple and certain adjustment of the spray nozzle may be set to deliver a spray of varying degrees of fineness.

To this end the invent-ion comprises. geni erally speaking. a bottle stopper whose body portion is provided with a liquid delivery duct for leading the liquid from the bottle to the spray nozzle, and with a vent passage for establishing communication between the outside air and the air space within the bottle combined with adjustable spray-controlling means so constructed and arranged with reference to the outer ends of the aforesaid vent and liquid-delivering passages as to act to seal or securely close said passages when screwed tightly against the valve seat surfaces formed on the body member.

Various forms of construction and arrangement embodying this principle may be employed to suit particular needs, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section illustrating a form of stopper atomizer such as is adapted for use as a perfumery or germieide sprayer.

Figure 2 is a similar vertical central seetion of a form of sprayer adapted to be used as a nasal atomizer. i

Figure 3 is a central sectional view of a modified form of germicide atomizer in which the adjustable spray member forms the internal member of the spray nozzle instead of the external member as in the forms shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the check valve employed in Figures 1 and 3.

ln the practice of this invention according to the specific form illustrated in Figure 1921. Serial No. 457,774.

1, the atolnizing stopper is formed of a fixed body member 1, having an annular lateral flange 2, and a downwardly extending neck 3 adapted to be inserted in a tubular cork 60 washer 4 to tightly close the neck of the bottle or container 5.

On one side of the body member l is formed a lateral boss 6 terminating in a conical tip 7. A compressed air duct 8 65 leads from the interior of the air-compressing bulb 12 by an angular path to the center of the conical tip 7.

The body member 1 is provided with an intake duct 11, whose inner end terminates below the central tongue or flap 10 of the rubber disk valve 9 so that the air is admitted into the interior of the bulb as the bulb expands after compression, while the compressed air is free to escape only communication between the lnterior of the bottle and the outer air with its outer end b5 17 terminating adjacent to but beyond the conical or bevelled surface 21 of the boss 6. The adjustable spray member in this case comprises a hollow cap having a conical converging recess 19 adapted to tit snugly 90 against the corresponding external conical surface of the tip 7 so as to form a tight joint therewith. At its inner or rear end the cap or spray member/is formed with an internal tapered surface 20 adapted to en- 95 gage in similar fashion the conical external surface 21 at the base of the boss. The adjustable spray member or cap 18 has screw threaded engagement with the boss 6, and

the abutting surfaces above described are 10 so arranged that when the adjustable spray member or cap is screwed up tight there is a firm and close engagement between each abutting pair of ,bevelled faces. I prefer to make these abutting surfaces, which in reality form valve seats, bevelled or conical since it is easier in practical manufacture to secure a perfect t or seating of these surfaces at the same time, but it is not essential that these valve seats be conical in form.

It will be observedthat the outer ends of the liquid delivering and the air venting passages are included between the two valve seat surfaces of the body member so that when the cap is firmly screwed to its seat no escape of the liquid from the bottle can take place either through thel vent passage or through the liquid-delivering passage even though the bottle be inverted. The adjustable spray member, therefore, by its screw threaded adjustment can be set to deliver a spray of varying fineness, or it can be tightened soas to form a perfect valve or seal to prevent the escape of the contents of the bottle. rIhe atomizing stopper of appropriate size is forced into the neck of the liquid container and the screw threaded cap is rotated until the desired adjustment, for securing the desired amount of spray, is obtained and the bulb is intermittently com-l pressed by which the compressed air is forced through the center of the tip member forming ypart of the spray chamber drawing with it the liquid delivered through the duct 13 and escaping in a fine spray through the nozzle orifice 23.

I believe that I am the first in the art to provide an adjustable spray member by which it is possible to regulate perfectly the atomizing action, while at the same time making it possible to use this spray member asa closure or valve for sealing the passages into the'bottle to prevent escape of the liquid contents.

In Figure 2 I have shown a somewhat modified form of construction which is intended particularly for use asa nasal spray or atomizer commonly used for heavy oils. Atomizers for this purpose have been unsatisfactory because of the tendency of the oil to work along the compressed air tube thereby attacking the rubber of the bulb, andv also gumming up the valve of the compressed air bulb when the valve is arranged at the delivery end of the bulb. By the application of the principles of this invention, however, thesediiiiculties may be fully overcome.

In this form of the invention the body member 28 of the stopper is provided with an enlarged internally screw threaded re- -cessed base portion 27 adapted to have screw threaded engagement with the screw-thread 26 formed on the outside ofthe neck of the bottle 25, a. washer 27a of cork or other suitable material being interposed above the neck of the bottle to be tightly compressed to prevent leakage. 'Ihe stopper member has a lateral extension '29 to which is secured in any usual or ysuitable manner, the valved serted into the nostril, is provided with in' ternal screw threads 39 having engagement with external screw threads on the bQdY Lscrewed to its seat, no

imacat member to secure axial adjustment by rotation. 'Ihe conical valve seats 35, 36 are provided so as to secure simultaneous abutment of the two pairs of valve seat surfaces when the cap is screwed tightly home.

A liquid delivery duct 32 leads to the base of the tip 35, and an air vent 31 leads from the interior of the base to the outer air adj acent to the lower valve seat surface 36. The central spray delivery oritice 40 atiords exit from the spray chamber directly in alignment with the central compressed air passage 34.

Unscrewing the nozzle cap to different distances will result in the delivery of spray of different degrees of fineness. As both passages communicating with the interior of the bottle have their outer ends included between the valve seat surfaces when the cap or adjustable spray member is tightly leakage of liquid is possible.

In Figure 3 I have shown a form of atomizer in which the adjustable spray member forms the male member of the spray-forming parts.

In this case the body portion 41 of the stopperhas a hollow internally tapered extension 42 vwith the spray or delivery orifice 43, and at its rear or enlarged portion has an internal screw thread l44 adapted to engage the external screwthread formed on the adjustable spray member 45. The adjustable spray member 45-has its front end tapered to form a conical tip ortion 46 which can be screwed up to tig tly engage against the Vsurrounding conical valve seat formedby the interior surface 'of the nipple or boss 42.

Intermediate of its ends the adjustable spray member 45t-is provided with a conical or tapered surface A4 7 adapted to abut against va corresponding tapered valve seat surface '51.l A check valve 9, similar to that shown in Figure 4, is used to intermittently close the intake passage 53 of the air bulb.

In principle this form is similar to the form shown in-Figure 1, only the adjustable spray member is the interior member while the external portion ofthe spray chamber is integral with the body portion of the stopper. Hence, the air-compressing bulb is attached to the movable member instead of to the fixed or body member.

While I have shown the valve or sealing glf formed on a single axially adjustable member and prefer that arrangement yet it will be understood that I do not coniine myself to an arrangement in which an adjustable spray-regulating member is employed to close or seal both the liquid-discharge and the bottle-venting passages.

It will be observed that whether the spray regulating members be open for spraying or closed for sealing the bottle passages, the compressed air passage in each case is always in communication and in alignment with the sprayl outlet orifice in the nozzle. This direct alignment in various positions of adjustment results in perfect spraying action while the maintenance of communication between the air compressing bulb and the spray nozzle orifice, makes it possible by once squeezing the bulb after closing the stopper. passages to wholly clear the nozzle or spraying chamber of all traces of liquid. Leakage is therefore entirely prevented'.

What I claim is: y 1. An atomizing stopper for liquid-containers embracing in combination, a stopper body member, provided with liquid discharging and air-venting passages affording communication between the interior of the bottle and exterior ports in the stopper, a rotatable axially adjustable spray-controlling member carried by the stopper body and provided with closure surfaces arranged to close said exterior ports when saidsprayu member is adjusted to closing position whereby the same member serves alternately to regulate the spray and prevent leakage of the liquid through the stopper, substantially as described. D

2. An atomizing stopper for liquid-containers embracing in combination a stopper body member adapted to close the mouth of a bottle and having liquid-discharge and air-venting passages affording communication between the interior of the bottle and the exterior air through separate ports in the stopper, an axially adjustable spraycontrolling member having screw threaded engagement with the stopper body to provide suitable adjustment for the proper delivery of .the sprav and having two separated port-closing surfaces arranged to prevent theescape of liquid from the bottle through said ports when the spray-controlling member is screwed tightly upon the body member of the stopper, substantially as described.

3. An atomizing'bottle stopper provided with separate liquid-conducting and bottleventing passages leading to separate ports formed in the body member, said body member being provided with separate valve seat surfaces arranged to include said ports between them, an adjustable spray member provided with separate port-closing surfaces arranged to seal said ports to prevent the escape of liquid from the bottle when the spray member is axially shifted from atomizing toclosing position, substantially as described.

4. An atomizing bottle stopper embracing in combination a stopper body member having a screw threaded boss terminating in a tapered tip which forms part of the atomizing chamber, and provided with a liquiddischarge duct having its exit port adjacent to said tip and provided also with a bottleventing air duct having a port arranged near the base of said threaded boss adjacent to a conical valve seat surface, a screw threaded spray cap having adjustable engagement with said threaded boss to form a spray-adjusting member and having internal conical surfaces for engaging said valve seat surfaces when the cap is screwed tightly against the stopper body, substantially as described. z

5. In an atomizing stopper for liquid-containing bottles a body member provided with two co-aXially separated conical valve seat surfaces surrounding a centralV compressed air duct, said body memberhaving a liquid-discharge duct and an air-venting duct whose outer ports are located between said valve seat surfaces; and a nozzle cap having a central discharge opening and having conical valve surfaces arranged to abut against the said conical valve seats when the cap is screwed tightly against the stopper body, substantially as described.

6. An atomizing bottle stopper embracing in its construction a fixed body member adapted to form a closure for the mouth of the bottle and provided with a conical spray tip having a central passage for the discharge of compressed air, said body member having at a distance from said tip a conical surface of larger diameter and being provided with liquid-discharge and bottle-venting passages whose outer ends terminate between said two conical surfaces, an adjustable spray cap having screw threaded engagement with said body member and provided with a central discharge orifice opposite the central compressed air passage, the interior of said stopper being provided with two conical surfaces adapted to engage with and be pressedtightly against the corresponding conical surfaces of the body member when the cap is tightly screwed up, substantially as described.

7. An atomizing bottle stopper embracing in combination a fixed stopper body having a conical tip and adapted to be tightly attached toa liquid-containing bottle, an air-compressing bulb attached to said'body member and having communication with a central air-discharge port in said tip, a centrally perforated adjustable screw cap ar- ,ranged to form in conjunction with said tip y ing passages arranged to be sealed when said screw cap is tightly screwed upon the stopper, substantially as described.

8. ln an atomizer for liquids, the combination of a bottle stopper. a spray-controlling member arranged to form in cooperation close the passage to the inside of the bottle,

in order to prevent leakage of the bottle contents through the stopper, substantially as described.

9. ln an atomizer for liquids, the combination, of a bottle stopper provided with a liquid-discharge passage and a bottle-venting passage, the outer ends of said passages being in proximity to each other, "a screw threaded member adjustably connected with the stopper to be set in position to close both passages and constructed to :torni with the stopper an atomizing chamber in communication with the liquid discharge passage and with a source of comprcssedvair, when adjusted for atomizing purposes, substantially as described.

10. An atomizing stopper for a bottle embracing in combination a stopper body member having liquid-discharging and air-admitting passages communicating with the interior of the bottle, and rotatable stoppersealing means having' screw-threaded engagement with the body member to secure axial adjustment whereby the escape of liquid through the stopper body may be regulated or wholly prevented according to the axial adjustment of the stopper-sealing means.

11. An atomizing stopper for a bottle embracing in combination a body member constructed to form a' stopper for the bottle, and provided with air-admitting and liquid discharging passages having communication with the interior of the b'ottle to provide for the discharge of liquids sprayed .through a suitable spray-discharging orifice, axially adjustable spray-regulating means having a liquid-sealing surface arranged to abut against an opposed surface on the body member when the spray-regulating means is `secured tightly against the body member,

a compressed air passage being provided for vaporizing the liquid Whose outlet end is aligned with said spray outlet orifice, substantially as described.

l2. An atomizing stopper for a bottle cmbracing in combination a stopper body having liquid-discharging and air-admitting passages in communication Withthe interior of the bottle,.a spray-regulating member ad- THOMAS J. HOLMES.

subscribed the 

